Application tooth for the hair and/or scalp treatment

ABSTRACT

A device usable as an applicator comb, comprising a collection of applicator teeth inserted into a tubular body ( 1 ) as supporting element, permitting liquid or gelatinous products to be applied precisely and economically, by having attached to the device a container or receptacle holding the treatment product. For hair and scalp treatment, the product enters the applicator teeth ( 2, 2   I   , 2   II   , 2   III   , 2   IV   , 2   V . The product to be applied may cover all, only the sides or only the base of the applicator teeth, depending on whether the treatment is to be given on the totality of the hair and scalp, only on the hair, or on the base of the hair and in the scalp. Depending on the application, the tooth structure has a rigid core constituting the support for a permeable, peripheral cladding ( 13 ), or only a lateral cladding ( 12 ), without reaching the end.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an applicator comb for treating thehair and/or scalp, with which enhancement is obtained of the benefitsoffered by the existing systems for applying both liquid and viscousproducts currently employed, though in a more precise, cleaner andquicker manner than is achieved with these conventional methods,providing also a considerable saving in the amount employed of saidproducts.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The systems that are presently being employed for applying differenthair products, have the disadvantage that, for specific applications(for hair and scalp independently), they are insufficiently precise forthe application process and this, in the long run, can lead to problems,if not for the hair itself, then for the scalp due to products producingirritation when coming into contact with it.

In the utility model U-9601817 of the same applicant as the presentinvention, a perfected comb was made known for hair treatment, theobject of which is to facilitate the application of liquid products suchas lotions, dyes, etc., in less time, with greater safety andcleanliness, than when employing the methods of conventional systems. Itcomprises a comb having a hollow main body constituent part of areservoir for holding the liquid to be used in the treatment. This bodyleads into tubular teeth the operational ends of which form a curvedconcave line, instead of terminating in a straight line as is normalpractice. The means of impelling the product consists basically offlexible segments in the handle, permitting pressure to be appliedmanually.

In the international application PCT/ES97/00167 by the same applicant, acomb was made known for hair treatment in which, in addition to thefeatures offered by the aforementioned utility, other benefits areprovided such as those indicated below:

The product reservoir is at least in part in the form of a main bodyfrom which the teeth radiate, said body having a mouth joined through ameans of opening and hermetically closing to the handle. The reservoirincorporates a refillable and/or replaceable cartridge. The teeth cancome with a bevel cut and also have multiple perforations practisedalong them and also incorporate a small brush.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The applicator comb for hair and/or scalp treatment basically offers afeature of interchangeability whereby a single support is capable ofbeing used for different applications of products and treatments for thehair or scalp.

These applicator teeth, in the number of units specified, are coupled orattached to the body acting as common head and which can come indifferent forms. To this body is fitted an adapted container orreceptacle and which is the element that may hold the hair products. Onmounting the head on this container, if the latter holds any hairproduct, the applicator teeth attached absorb a certain amount of saidproduct by capillary action, or else by manual pressure on the pertinentpliable segment or pushbutton, it being possible thereby to apply theproduct to the hair or scalp according to the version of applicatorteeth being employed, as required by the user.

By means of a set of applicator teeth, the structure and distribution ofwhich differ for each application, in accordance with the differentversions which shall be remarked later in connection with the figures, aperfect application can be achieved. These applicator teeth can comejoined together forming a unit for assembly or replacement, or separatefrom each other, since certain applicator tooth models or versionscannot be produced as a block. For their use the applicator teeth can beinserted in the body which has been defined as head for a container orreceptacle and which at the same time protects the applicator teethconnected to it.

The body serving as head, can come in different shapes, hold one or moreapplicator teeth, in line or alternated and having different geometricforms. It can also have a concave base to adapt anatomically to theuser's head.

As has been indicated above and depending on the application, a firsttype of applicator tooth has been foreseen having a design to depositthe product on the scalp alone, when the hair is being combed, by meansof a permeable fiber which is attached to the back part of theapplicator tooth. In this manner, the front part of said applicatortooth provides a means of support and guidance which produces a tinyfurrow in the skin of the scalp which the fiber makes use of toimpregnate the scalp with the product, avoiding the adsorption of saidproduct by the hair.

Another type of applicator tooth for another application or treatment,mainly for applying viscous products to the scalp or at the base of thehair, incorporates at the operational end, a number of bristles insertedon the back part to facilitate the application process. This arrangementis similar to that mentioned above, the permeable fiber being replacedby bristles.

There is another type of applicator tooth designed to prevent productscoming into contact with the scalp, since there are some of these whichare harmful to it, such as anti-parasitic lotions.

This last type of applicator tooth mentioned, has both the front andrear of the lower part stiff, while the rest is of permeable fibre.Thus, the product can be deposited on the hair when combing, but isprevented from reaching the scalp and hair roots.

To permit the application of the product indistinctly to the hair andthe scalp, stiff-cored applicator teeth can be employed with a permeablefibre cladding which retains the product.

For applying gels or viscous products intended for the hair, applicatorteeth can be used with a cladding provided with longitudinal recesses orholes which facilitate the emission, these being possible with orwithout fibre.

For those applications in which it is necessary for any of the differentversions of applicator teeth to have the product continuously available,the head can be fitted with a dosing mechanism which controls the flowof the product to be sent to the application tips connected to thedosing mechanism, said product coming from a cartridge which can beself-actuating. This cartridge can also be refillable or disposable.

To maintain the product in perfect condition, the cartridge comes fittedwith a cap having a vacuum valve and in this case the container orreceptacle serves to protect the tips.

To facilitate a better understanding of the characteristics of theinvention and forming an integral part of this specification, a numberof drawings are attached in which figures, in an illustrative and notrestrictive manner, the following aspects are shown:

For applying gels or viscous products intended for the hair, teeth canbe used with a cladding provided with longitudinal recesses or holeswhich facilitate the emission, these being possible with or withoutfibre.

For those applications in which it is necessary for any of the differentversions of teeth to have the product continuously available, the headcan be fitted with a dosing mechanism which controls the flow of theproduct to be sent to the application tips connected to the dosingmechanism, said product coming from a cartridge which can beself-actuating. This cartridge can also be refillable or disposable.

To maintain the product in perfect condition, the cartridge comes fittedwith a cap having a vacuum valve and in this case the container orreceptacle serves to protect the tips.

To facilitate a better understanding of the characteristics of theinvention and forming an integral part of this specification, a numberof drawings are attached in which figures, in an illustrative and notrestrictive manner, the following aspects are shown:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. —Shows a partial longitudinal side view of an applicator combwhich includes a set of applicator teeth for hair and/or scalptreatment, in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2. —Shows a side view of that shown in FIG. 1, with the portioncorresponding to the applicator teeth and pushbutton in section.

FIG. 3. —Shows a partial sectional view, of the end of an applicatortooth with a permeable fibre on the back part.

FIG. 4. —Shows a view of the end of an applicator tooth whichincorporates pliable bristles on the back part.

FIGS. 5 to 7. —Show respective views in perspective of different modelsof applicator teeth for different hair and/or scalp treatments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the numbering scheme adopted in the figures, it can beseen how the applicator tooth for hair and/or scalp treatment isinterchangeable in nature by forming part of an assembly which can beinserted into a tubular body 1 serving as support. The body 1 hasconnected to it a plurality of applicator teeth 2 of tubular structurethrough which the product to be applied passes. The product is held inthe container 3 joined to the mouthpiece 4 of the tubular body 1. Thetubular body 1 is provided in turn with an axial channel 5 and aplurality of side branches 6, the side branches 6 mutually coplanar andin line with the core of the tubular applicator teeth 2, as can be seenin FIG. 1.

When the pushbutton 7 is manually depressed, the product to be appliedheld in the receptacle or container 3, is fed into the applicator teeth2. The applicator teeth 2 are detachable and replaceable to permit theirinsertion into the body 1 and, as has been stated above, depending onthe application, they have a

Thus, in FIG. 3, an applicator tooth tip model 2 ^(I) is shown which isemployed to deposit the treatment product on the scalp only, by having apermeable fibre 8 on the back part of its extremity. Reference 9indicates the lateral orifice of the applicator tooth permitting theproduct to reach the permeable fibre 8. The front part 10 of thisapplicator tooth 2 ^(I), being of a stiff material, produces a furrow inorder that the back part 8 only applies the product to the scalp.

In FIG. 4 the reference 2 ^(II), is given to an applicator tooth ofwhich the rear extremity has bristles 11 instead of the permeable fibre8 of FIG. 3. As has been indicated earlier, this permits the product tobe applied only to the base of the hair or scalp.

The applicator tooth 2 ^(III) shown in FIG. 5, has a structure designedprecisely to prevent contact between the product and the scalp, theformer being deposited only on the hair when combed. The lower part ofthe end of the tip and the front and back thereof, are stiff, while onthe sides there is a permeable fibre 12 for impregnating the hair.

In FIG. 6, the applicator tooth having reference 2 ^(IV), has a rigidstructure sheathed in a layer of permeable fibre 13, suitable forapplying the product indistinctly to the hair or to the scalp,permitting all the hair to be moistened or wetted with any type ofproduct.

The applicator tooth shown in FIG. 7, having reference 2 ^(V), works bycapillary action in like manner to a pen nib or a draughtsman's pen,having a longitudinal opening 14 through which the product to be appliedis fed. The applicator tooth is given this structure in order to permitthe application of denser or more adherent products.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device usable as an applicator comb for hairand scalp treatment comprising a tubular body containing a receptaclefor holding a product to be applied, said product being selected fromliquid or gelatinous products; at least one applicator tooth, comprisinga tubular structure to permit the product be applied; means to provokethe product to be ejected; a plurality of sockets provided on a surfaceof the tubular body to which said at least one applicator tooth isconnected; wherein the applicator tooth comprises, a stiff impermeablestrip substantially perpendicular to an axial channel of the tubularbody, said strip having, a stiff front edge and a stiff rear edgeaccording to a combing direction; a lower end with a stiff tip portion;permeable fibre arranged on both sides of said strip to allow theproduct to be applied to the hair only, without the product coming intocontact with the scalp.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein aplurality of teeth are fastened to each other, forming a unit forassembly to the tubular body.
 3. A device according to claim 2, whereinthe tubular body includes a dosing mechanism with a pushbutton situatedat an easily accessible point on one side of the tubular body.
 4. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein the sockets are arranged inalignment.
 5. A device usable as an applicator comb for hair and scalptreatment comprising a tubular body containing a receptacle for holdinga product to be applied, said product being selected from liquid orgelatinous products; at least one applicator tooth, comprising a tubularstructure to permit the product be applied; means to eject the product;a plurality of sockets provided on a surface of the tubular body towhich said at least one applicator tooth is connected; wherein theapplicator tooth comprises, a front lower end and a rear lower endaccording to a combing direction; a permeable fibre arranged on the rearlower end of said applicator tooth, the front portion of said applicatortooth serving to create a furrow into which the permeable fibredischarges, whereby the applicator tooth is suitable for applying theproduct only to the scalp.
 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein aplurality of applicator teeth are fastened to each other, forming a unitfor assembly to the tubular body.
 7. A device according to claim 6,wherein the tubular body includes a dosing mechanism with a pushbuttonsituated at an easily accessible point on one side of the tubular body.8. A device according to claim 5, wherein the sockets are arranged inalignment.